1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cooling shaft for the rollers of a roller conveyor. The cooling shaft includes a flow duct for the cooling medium and an outlet opening.
2. Description of the Related Art
The cooling shaft is to be used particularly for carrying out the STELMOR.RTM. process. In the conventional STELMOR.RTM. process, long drawn products, particularly wire, are coiled into coils and are conveyed in the form of rings over a roller conveyor. As the wire is conveyed it is cooled while simultaneously its mechanical properties are influenced. The cooling medium usually is air which is blown through the conveyor and through the wire rings.
However, it is also desirable that cooling of the rings does not occur too rapidly. For example, for influencing the temperature conditions, devices are known, so called hot boxes, in which the wire rings are conveyed through a zone in which the warm air is applied from the bottom and from above and temperature differences can be compensated in this manner.
European Patent Application 0 110 652 describes a Stelmor line with appropriate cooling devices. It is generally suggested to arrange the air flow ducts near the rollers of the roller conveyor in such a way that the air flow flows along a roller and then toward the wire material. Specifically, the air flow shafts are to be located underneath the respective rollers, so that the air flow separates when it impinges against the bottom side of the roller and then flows along the roller and toward the bottom side of the wire windings.
It is further proposed in this European Patent Application to direct the air flow by having air flow through perforated conveyor rollers.